The Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Abkhazia Tamaz Tsakhnakia commented on the first case of coronavirus infection in a self-proclaimed republic.
He confirmed that on April 7 the bacteriological laboratory of the Republican Sanitary Epidemiological Service officially confirmed the first case of coronavirus infection of a citizen of Abkhazia, a resident of the city of Gagra. This is one of the 18 patients who were tested today in the laboratory, Apsnypress news agency reports.
According to the minister, the patient was admitted to the Gudauta central district hospital yesterday with symptoms of an acute respiratory disease similar to coronavirus infection. “The condition of this patient today is regarded as relatively satisfactory, he receives all the necessary course of antiviral therapy approved by the Ministry of Health following the recommendations of the WHO,” he said.
Tsakhnakia emphasized that this result was expected since there is a very high percentage of de facto border crossing along the Psou river from different regions of Russia, primarily from Moscow, where today there is an increase in the number of people infected with the coronavirus.
“We have repeatedly said that it is necessary to take very tough measures, people should not communicate in mass crowds, leave the house only when necessary for pharmacies, grocery stores, and hospitals with appropriate indications. It is very important to maintain a self-isolation regime, since today, according to all expert estimates, the incidence rate will progress until the end of April. This is the data of both the Rospotrebnadzor and the World Health Organization, ”added Tamaz Tsakhnakia.
The Minister once again appealed to citizens with a request to strictly implement the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the Interagency Operational Headquarters.